Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell receives honorary doctorate
The legendary astrophysicist who discovered pulsars in 1967 has been recognised for her outstanding contributions and advocacy.
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell CH DBE FRS FRSE FInstP has been admitted to the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) by the University of Sydney.
She was honoured at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 14 for her eminent contributions to the field of astrophysics, advocacy of under-represented students in the STEMM disciplines and as an inspirational role model for women in science.
The ceremony was presided over by Pro-Chancellor Dr Lisa McIntyre and Emeritus Professor Anne Green, who paid tribute to Dame Jocelyn’s extraordinary career.
“For more than 50 years, Jocelyn has been one of the world’s most recognised and respected astronomers.”
‒ Professor Emeritus Anne Green
Dame Jocelyn graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Philosophy (physics) with honours and completed a PhD at the University of Cambridge in 1969.
She first rose to prominence as a post-graduate student in 1967 while working on the Interplanetary Scintillation Array, an instrument she helped build just outside Cambridge.
During her PhD research, she came across an anomaly in her data. By persisting in finding the source of the anomaly, she discovered pulsars. This discovery underpins much of modern astrophysics and astronomy and our understanding of the universe.
Pulsars have subsequently been used to test theories of fundamental physics, including Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity in extreme environments, to probe the interstellar medium of our galaxy, and to search for gravitational waves. They are the most precise clocks in the universe and have been used to calibrate Earth’s clocks.
Controversially, Dame Jocelyn was not included in the citation as she was a graduate student. This decision continues to be debated today.
Dame Jocelyn was one of a small group of women that set up the Athena SWAN program in the UK. The program aims to improve gender diversity and equity in higher education and research.
This highly successful, evidence-based approach has inspired similar programs in many countries, including Australia, where it is known as SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity). The initiative was largely driven by her experience of patronising behaviour as a female scientist, even after her momentous discovery of pulsars.
Dame Jocelyn has become a role model and champion for women in physics. She has made numerous speeches and presentations to promote women and girls in science, using her positions as visiting Professor of Oxford and Chancellor of Dundee University to encourage the next generation of STEMM students.
Athena SWAN and SAGE are only a part of her support for under-represented groups in STEMM. In 2018, she won a Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for her discovery of pulsars. Amazingly, she used the entirety of the $3 million prize money to set up the Bell Burnell Scholarship Fund to encourage and support female, minority and refugee students to become research physicists.
Read more about her story→